


Start of Something Good

by IDEALITYJUNCTION



Category: Original Work
Genre: 24/7 Diner, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-18
Updated: 2014-06-18
Packaged: 2018-02-05 05:40:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1807399
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IDEALITYJUNCTION/pseuds/IDEALITYJUNCTION
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I know that its gonna take some time. I've got to admit that the thought has crossed my mind. This might end up like it should. And I'm gonna say what I need to say. And hope to god that it don't scare you away. Don't wanna be misunderstood. But I'm starting to believe that this could be the start of something good</p>
            </blockquote>





	Start of Something Good

Start of Something Good.

Lukas stood beside the table, coffee pot gripped in his hand, a frown on his face. Staring. 

"What the fuck happened to your face?"

The man seated in the booth looked up, feigning innocence. "What?"

"That." Lukas pointed, close to prodding the huge, ugly, red scab stretched above his left eyebrow. "What is that?"

"Battle scars?"

"Seriously, Kyle." 

He sighed. "You're pushy for a waiter. This kind of snooping into customers lives could get you fired, you know?"

Lukas snorted, "Fine, don't tell me." He turned to stalk away when Kyle made an outraged noise behind him. 

"Fine, fine." He squawked. "If you must know, I got into a fight." 

Lukas arched a delicate brow. "Really?"

"Really and don't give me that look, it was a genuine fight. With blood and guts, gnarly stuff Luke, but don't worry I managed to take all the ninjas down and save the princess." He grinned up at him. "You would have been proud."

"It was a girl wasn't it?" 

"What, are you sexist or something?" Kyle snapped, disarmed. "And, yes, it was a girl. That is the last time I ask a national kick-box champion if she will date me so I seem straight for my cousins wedding. There, lesson learned."

Lukas considered him for a moment. "Want some pie?"

Kyle perked up, eyeing him. "Is said pie on the house?"

"Absolutely not." 

"Then absolutely." He winks. "Strawberry, please, darlin'"

Lukas laughed, refilling Kyle's cup and walking away, yawning. 

It was late and he was tired, really tired. The diner wasn't hot, but it felt that way sometimes, especially this late at night when they crank up the heat as the weather outside gets chilly. Lukas wonders how they have so much money to spend. 

The graveyard shift has been his for months, it's the only shift that no one is willing to take and he is willing to do almost every night. It's tiring but somehow he makes it through, that doesn't mean it doesn't make it difficult to get to afternoon, and the odd, annoying, morning classes. Or make it difficult to see the little brother that wakes up early and take the lunch Lukas made for him at four in the morning to school, and, hopefully, does his homework that night and then goes to sleep on time. Not that Lukas would ever know. Not that he wouldn't love to know. 

He pours Kyle his coffee and cuts his pie, plating it and bringing it over to his table. Kyle started coming a little bit after Lukas began working at the Mile, toting his computer case and charger, all smiles and laughs and bubbliness and wondering where a table with an outlet was. Since then, Lukas thinks he's come in here every night. Laughing and joking and being pretty pleasant for 11 to 4 o'clock at night. Lukas appreciates it, and after a couple months, learned to appreciate Kyle's wit and strange stories. He hopes sometimes he does the same for his strange customer. 

"God, thank you..." Kyle groans, grabbing at the coffee and sipping it with his eyes slipping back into his head. Lukas rolled his eyes. "You are my angel." 

"The way to a man's heart is through his coffee. Need anything else?" 

"The key to your heart." He winked, letting heart take on a southern drawl. "And some more cream please, I love you, but you're stingy." 

Lukas laughed. "Sure thing." 

 

\---

Lukas glanced up at the large, outrageously sparkly clock across the empty diner. 1 AM. His shift was over in about 4 hours but he could already feel his eyelids getting heavy. It was late and he was tired, thank god his classes didn't start until after 12 tomorrow or he'd be truly fucked. But that didn't mean they weren't all packed into the remaining 9 hours before he had to come to work. 

The Diner was empty, well, not empty. Kyle was there, sitting quietly in the corner, thankfully quiet, tapping on his computer. His face glowed from the light and Lukas kept half an eye on his coffee cup, swooping in to fill it whenever it got too low. He had been here for about two hours, typing and not looking up, must've been an important paper. Lukas couldn't bring himself to care.

The only good thing about working this late was that it was quiet, usually. Past 12 never really saw anyone on this side of town and if they did it was only for a quick coffee and no tip. It was fine, that was fine. Lukas was never awake enough to notice anyway. 

Ding. 

He looked up, startled. It was pissing rain outside and he didn't expect anyone to come in anyway, not tonight. But God wasn't going to be nice to him tonight, apparently. Along with the chill the doors being flung about brought and tall, scruffy looking guy soaked to the bone but somehow still grinning like a cat swooped in. Stomping his boots on the mat inside the door.

"Jesus!" He exclaimed to no one in particular, shaking out his mop of shaggy hair. Lukas noticed him but his eyes flickered to Kyle who stopped typing abruptly and turned to see what was going on. Lukas looked away again, straightening. "It's fucking pouring!"

Lukas sighed, plastering on the biggest 'we're here to help you' grin he could muster and cleared his throat. "Yeah, I bet, can I get you some coffee? Or something to eat?" Pretty good, he thought, for one in the morning.

"Sure..." His eyes found his name tag. "Lukas. Coffee sounds fantastic. Black please." He plopped down at the bar and Lukas couldn't hide his cringe as he dumped out the filter and refilled it. He hadn't expected anyone tonight, besides Kyle, so didn't bother with the coffee. Now he regretted it. 

"So, graveyard shift, huh?" He whistled, low and long. "Rough."

Lukas shrugged, like he gave a damn about this conversation. "Eh, it's not so bad." 

"Really? Or are you trying to get my attention?" Lukas didn't stop what he was doing and didn't look up. "Sorry," The weirdo relented. "Just... Noticing." He looked Lukas up and down, too slow to be friendly. Licking his lips. 

"Hmm." Lukas gave up trying to be nice. "Maybe you shouldn't notice, I'm not in the mood." 

"I'm Jonas." He said, startling Lukas. "Are you a student?" His voice took on an edge that Lukas didn't like. Or maybe it was just the fatigue.

Lukas turned away from the coffee. "Maybe I should call my manager."

"It's just small talk." He reached over, too fast for Lukas to react. Gripping his arm too tight. "Calm down, sweetheart." 

"Maybe you should get off him." 

Kyles hand landing firmly on the guy's shoulder, holding there. Lukas looked up, Kyle's eyes were blazing. "And get out." 

The man growled. "It's a free country." But he let Lukas go anyway. Kyle was 6 feet 4 inches of angry muscle. 

"Free to kick your ass." Kyle growled, grip tightening and he hauled him up. "Get out." 

The man stumbled, glaring at both of them before retreating out the door. Tail between his legs. Kyle waits for him to disappear around the corner before turning back to the counter. Eyes flooding with concern. "You okay?"

"Yeah, fine." Lukas said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. They were shaking when they shouldn't be, he should be used to creeps like that. But, then again, no one has ever grabbed him before. It made his skin crawl.

Kyle frowned at him, reaching out to touch his forearm pulling it out of Lukas' pocket and holding it up. It shook held up and Kyle raised an eyebrow at him. "Right." 

Lukas glared at him, pulling his arm awake and crossing his arms over his chest. "Do you need something?" 

"Well, if that's the kind of thanks I get for saving you from creeps maybe I won't anymore." Kyle raised an eyebrow at him.

"You didn't save me." Lukas countered. "I could have handled it by myself." It sounded pathetic even to him. 

"Right." 

Lukas ground his teeth. "Did you need something?" 

"You need some manners." Kyle held up his empty cup. "I need a refill." 

Lukas spent the rest of his shift watching the rain and making his way to Kyles table to refill his half full cup every five minutes. He missed his first class the next day. 

\---

Lukas was dying. Literally, actually dying. 

Finals were like a kick in the balls, over and over again. A new final everyday and not nearly enough conscious hours in the day to study for them. His body had become heavy and his shoulders barely able to support the weight of his head and even if he studied at work, with no manager around to stop him, it was difficult to stop the nervous, thrumming energy that pounded through his bones. It seemed to be screaming: Failure, failure, failure. 

But he couldn't be a failure, not with his future, his brother's future riding on him making it though these classes and getting a job that didn't make him unable to see the only thing he was working for and was barely enough to pay the bills anyway. He was tired of having barely enough. 

But this, this was going to kill him.

Even Kyle noticed, watching him concerned as he came over only when called for the fourth time that night. "Are you okay? You seem out of it." 

Lukas nodded, the room spinning a little. "Yeah, uh, just studying for finals. It's wearing on me." 

Kyle frowned, looking him up and down. "Yeah, I can tell." If it was anyone else it would have been offensive. Borderline creepy. But Kyle came in here so often, Lukas wouldn't be surprised if Kyle drank one third of their coffee. He only shrugged. 

The rest of the night was spent in a haze of exhaustion, wondering how his History exam would go running on no sleep at all until tomorrow night. 

Tomorrow night was hell. He slogged into work without a clue how he was going to make it through and poured himself a coffee instantly, downing it and getting another. It, actually, did something and he kept it close helping out the last of the dinner crowd until the diner settled into silence. He wondered about his bio exam and the paper he had to write for English until-

"Lukas." 

He started, sitting up so fast his neck hurt. Kyle was standing over him, computer bag clutched in his arms, looking down at him in concern. "You passed out, are you okay?" 

Lukas blinked, his contacts stinging and he winced. "Uh, yeah. No, yeah." He sighed. "I'm fine." 

"You look exhausted, man." Kyle's eyebrows drew together and down in concern. "Maybe you should go home."

Lukas straightened, stretching and trying to wake up, though all it did was make him feel a little sick. "Can't" He mumbled. "I need this shift, or I won't be able to cover the water bill." He doesn't know why he is telling Kyle this, fatigue is making his lips loose. 

"Dude, you look like the dead." Kyle argued. "When was the last time you had a full nights sleep." 

Lukas thought back. "Monday." 

"That was a week ago." Kyle pulled out his phone, pushing it into his hands. "Call your manager. Tell her you threw up, or something." 

Lukas fumbled, trying to hand the phone back. "I can't, I told you, I need the money."

Kyle looked thoughtful for a moment, but didn't take the phone back. "I can pay you for tonights shift." He said, resolutely.

Lukas stared at him, eyes wide. "Y-you-I can't take money from customers." He stuttered. 

"From a friend then." Kyle said gently. "You're going to fail all your finals if you don't sleep, Lukas."

"I'll be fine." He ground out. 

Kyle gave him a look. "Do it, or I will call your manager and make you go home." 

Lukas glared at him and they dueled in a half a minute staring match before Lukas gave in and took the phone from him. He dialed his manager's number and told her that he has a terrible stomach bug and fatigue because of tests and asks to be let off for tonight. She agrees, reluctantly after Mike, the cook on duty in the back says he can wait whatever tables come in and just tell people the oven is out of order for the night.

Lukas grabs his coat and heads out the door when he notices Kyle is following him. "What-?"

"Your walking crooked." He said, one eyebrow cocked. "Please don't tell me you're going to drive home like that."

"I won't tell you, then."

Kyle rolls his eyes and takes a hold of his elbow. "C'mon."

"What are you-?" He gets cut off when he stumbles and the world spins, nausea rises out of nowhere and he clutches his stomach. Ugh. 

"Easy..." Kyle cooes, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and gripping his hand with another. "Just take a couple breaths, okay? You're gonna be fine." 

Kyle somehow gets him to the car and Lukas somehow remembers directions to his apartment and somehow after that he makes it to his bed and collapses, sleeping until his alarm clock wakes him up at 11:30 and there's an envelope filled with 200 dollars in his pocket that wasn't there the night before. 

\---

Lukas places Kyle's cup down on the counter along with the 116 change from what would have been his paycheck. He feels bad that he can't give all of it back, but he needs it, or else he really wouldn't survive. 

"You gave me too much." He said. "I can't accept it."

Kyle gave him a look. 

"Really!" Lukas argued before he could say anything. "You drove me home and you payed for me shift, you can't pay extra."

"I can and I did." Kyle pushed the money back to him. "Just take it, Lukas. You need it."

Lukas flushed. "What am I, some charity case? I don't need your money!"

"Really?" Kyle's eyes flamed. "Because working yourself to death isn't really someone acting like they're not desperate for money."

"What do you know about being desperate? What would you know about me?" Lukas' voice was bitter but he couldn't help it, this man knew nothing. 

"Maybe a lot more than you do." 

Lukas turned on his heel, his body was shaking with adrenaline and shame. So, it was hard for him to support him and his brother. Wouldn't every college student feel that way if they had an impromptu caretaker job thrust on them? So, he couldn't always make rent on time, or make the water bill on time, or find time to sleep. He didn't need it all thrown into his face. He could take care of himself. 

Kyle stalked out of the diner a half an hour later, not even glancing in Lukas' direction. He left the money on the counter, along with a half full cup of half and half. Lukas dumped the coffee in the sink and stuffed the money into the cash register.

A few more customers flittered in, mostly to swallow a cup of joe before making their way out. But the diner seemed huge and strangely empty for the rest of the night. 

\---

It was a quiet night, only a few people had come wandering in since Lukas' shift started, usually teenagers or college students ordering pie or cake and soft drinks and talking in hushed voices. Lukas stays behind the counter most of the night, watching dark sky and flickering streetlights until the last of the late night regular's find their way out and the clock rounds midnight. 

Lukas sighs, letting himself let got of the stale hope that tonight is the night Kyle will show up. He hasn't been coming, not for weeks since the fight they had the day after Lukas passed out in his arms. Since then, exams have ended and he opted to only take one course this summer, instead of the three he intended to take, and work a few more day shifts. It's been working for him and he's less exhausted, by far. Though, he's still living paycheck to paycheck.

He's thought about that night a lot. More than he cares to admit, and is sorry for what he did and said. Especially after all that Kyle did for him the night before. He was only trying to help, and Lukas took it to heart and turned it into something sinister and cruel. He was sorry and he wanted to tell him, at least once. But mostly he wanted to stop the empty feeling that was taking over his heart. It was troubling and annoying, but mostly annoying. 

Ding!

Lukas looked up, mildly surprised and froze. Kyle stood in the doorway, his cheeks flushed and breathing hard like he had run all the way here. His hair a hot mess and his eyes smouldering in the flickering of the diner's cheap lights. 

He smiled up at him. 

"Good morning." 

Lukas laughed. "Good morning to you too." He straightened, reaching for the coffee pot when Kyle made his way towards him. "Just coffee, or how about some pie? I think-"

"Lukas." He looked up, his nervous rambling cut off. Kyle was smiling at him. "Just coffee." 

"O-okay." 

He started pouring the cup and Kyle came over to slip onto the bar stood closest to him. He slid the mug across the bar and Kyle took it, gratefully. 

Lukas took a breath. "I'm sorry for snapping at you." He blurted, not meeting his eyes "I was just tired and didn't see what you were trying to do, I was stupid. I'm sorry." 

Kyle snorted and Lukas looked up, all ready to be offended. "You're sorry?" He raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry I told you, you were some peasant who couldn't take of themselves." His smile dropped a little, into something more honest and gentle. "Even when you were killing yourself trying to get through. I-I just worry about you sometimes, okay? It has nothing to do with how well you can, or cannot take care of yourself." 

Lukas smiled back, disbelieving. "Why the hell would you worry about some dude who serves you you're coffee at 2 am?"

"Because," Kyle leaned forward, his voice dropping to whisper to co-conspirative octave. "sometimes I want to know you as more than some dude that serves me coffee at 2 o'clock in the morning." He leaned back, holding out his hand. "Hi, I'm Kyle Ginsburg, I'm 23 and I have two sisters and a birthmark under my leg shaped like Oprah, I hate red but love red peppers. You are?" 

"I'm Lukas Sommers." He said, taking the hand. "I'm 21 and I have one younger brother. I like Oprah, she has more money than me and I love red but hate any kind of pepper at all." 

"Christ," Kyle breathed, "I think I found my soul mate."

**Author's Note:**

> Rushed. Fast. Uh.... Fun? Tell me what you think and I'll try to not be sad...


End file.
